Political Science

(479 words)

In the PRC it is often difficult to distinguish exactly between political science and ideology. Before 1949, China possessed a Chinese Association of Political Science (CAPS) as well as political science departments at universities. The latter either characterized by Western (Qian Duansheng) or Marxist approaches (Deng Chumin). Until 1980, the ideologies of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought presented the only officially accepted scientific theories of politics. However, three factors compelled the post-Mao leadership to initiate reforms: the failure of the Cultural Re…